


Just a Mischief Minor

by iColorWithCrayons



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: College, F/M, Loki is actually happy for a while, Post-Avengers, Without turning into some fluffy cute little thing, sort of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-17
Updated: 2014-10-20
Packaged: 2018-02-21 12:40:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2468516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iColorWithCrayons/pseuds/iColorWithCrayons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the mess that Loki made in New York City, Thor decides the most suitable punishment for his trouble-making brother would be graduate school at Princeton University. While immersing himself in academia, he meets Tabby Baker, a self-proclaimed miscreant. Can the world handle the two peas in a pod?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Loki looked around, his upper lip curling as he observed the mortals walking around him.

After his little episode in New York, Thor had banished Loki to the worst place he could think of: graduate school. Jane Foster had told him stories about her experiences in graduate school, which had apparently caused him to believe Loki would suffer in such an environment.

Only Thor would consider higher education a punishment.

The environment of the school wasn't entirely unpleasant, Loki had to admit, but the people around him were unbearable. Each of them walked around with a pretentious air, completely unaware that they were in the presence of a god.

Honestly, didn't the leaders of the Earth inform the inhabitants of attacks and battles? Princeton was in New Jersey; a place Loki understood to be very close to New York City. Everyone should have recognized him immediately.

Rolling his eyes and releasing a heavy sigh, Loki strode to his first class of the day: ancient Roman history.

What an educator residing on Earth had to teach him on the subject, he couldn't imagine.

"Hi. I like your clothes. They're so non-conformist." A girl whispered to him as he sat in one of the cushioned chairs filling the lecture hall.

Loki's eyes narrowed as he looked at the smiling girl.

She was both unimpressive and unimportant as far as he could tell.

Wordlessly, he returned his gaze to the front of the room, where the professor was standing at the podium.

It seemed that the professor asserted all of the power in this classroom environment. He was standing while everyone else was seated. This was a clear expression of superiority.

Loki's jaw clenched and unclenched as he fought the urge to take the podium from the professor. He couldn't stand watching someone else cling to a power that wasn't rightfully theirs. It was like Thor's almost-coronation all over again.

He knew more than this foolish professor. That was for certain. He was also more powerful; both physically and mentally. Yet, if he even tried to take something that was rightfully his, those ridiculous Avengers that Thor cavorted with would be on his trail, ready to release the Hulk upon him once more.

He sunk down in his seat, glowering at the professor, who was stuttering through some incorrect account of history, using very poor diction for someone who was supposed to be of academic standing.

Finally, it was just too much for Loki to bear.

Standing up, he stared down the professor, who stared back in surprise.

"Excuse me, but I believe you are incorrect about every statement you have said throughout the entire hour. Have you any proof of these assumptions, or are you simply spreading ignorance to a younger population in order to hinder the future of Earth?"

The entire lecture hall broke out into anxious whispers as the professor gaped at Loki in surprise.

"Who do you think you are?" The professor finally questioned, seemingly insulted by Loki's comment.

Loki smirked, approaching the professor at his podium, glancing back at the rest of the lecture hall as he did so.

Yes, this was where he belonged. He was supposed to be at the front of the classroom, commanding the lesser minds, forming the ideas that would circulate through their weak brains for the rest of their miserable lives.

"I am Loki."

"Well, Low-Key, why do you think that I'm wrong? Did your undergraduate professors try to tell you different?" The professor questioned with a patronizing grin.

Loki sneered back at the professor.

"No, I have experienced some of these stories firsthand. For the sake of your comprehension skills, I will simplify my rationale for you. I have written down all of the dates you relayed to the lecture hall. Assuming that these dates are correct, which, of course, they are not, there would have been two living rulers of Rome at once. I understand the men might have lived at the same time, but there certainly would not have been a battle where they entered the field together. By the time Ciaos entered the military, Aelianus was too old and frail to even mount a horse." Loki glanced at the baffled professor before continuing, "Even putting this aside, the first time Ciaos encountered the Greek on the battle field, he was wearing a suit of armor with an inscription that would have roughly translated to 'long live the king'. It is a well-known fact that Ciaos was against Aelianus and would undoubtedly promote his own health over the former king's."

Loki grinned smugly at both the professor and the astonished lecture hall, waiting for them to relinquish all of the power in the room to him.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave." The professor growled ungraciously.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Leave this classroom."

Loki's eyebrows knit together in a mix of confusion and anger.

"You dare speak to the prince of Asgard with such hostility? I will choose when I enter and exit a room." He challenged.

The professor folded his arms across his chest.

"You have ten seconds before I call security."

Loki glowered at the man, weighing his options.

If security was called, S.H.I.E.L.D. would undoubtedly be informed that he was not behaving the way the average Earth dweller was. This would ruin any chances he might have had to return to Asgard in the near future, leaving him stranded in a world full of dim-witted beings he was not allowed to rule. If he obeyed the professor, he would be relinquishing the power he had just seized, disgracing him in front of the large lecture hall of students.

"I have decided that your class is not suited for my very particular standards. Academic credibility is something I value." Loki snarled, giving the professor a dark look before departing from the lecture hall, refusing to look over his shoulder as the students once again to whisper and shout behind him.

He exhaled heavily as he walked out of the academic building, looking around for any sign of Jane Foster.

She was a professor at the university and hopefully a more credible one at that. Thor had selected Princeton University in particular because of Jane's involvement in the school. His rationale was that his weak romantic interest would be able to keep the God of Mischief under control in his absence.

_Right_.

"Hey, you! Wait up!" He heard a woman's voice holler from behind him.

He ignored the voice, continuing to walk in the direction of Jane's office.

She was likely speaking to another student on the campus. If not, she would have to learn to address him properly before he would bother carrying out a conversation with her.

He dodged a hand seeking his shoulder, his eyes narrowing.

He didn't like people trying to sneak up on him.

Whirling around, he glowered at the young woman who had taken such extreme liberties.

"How dare you – "

His words were cut off as he examined the girl in front of him.

She was shorter than him, but taller than Jane Foster. She had dark brown hair with just a hint of red; a most unusual color, even for humans on Earth. Her eyes were Loki's favorite shade of green, matching his suit of armor perfectly. She carried herself extremely well for a woman residing on Earth; her head was held high and her shoulders were set back, unlike most of the people, who simply slumped their shoulders and stared down at the ground, walking with little to no dignity.

She was certainly pleasing to look at.

Her manners, on the other hand, were far from pleasing.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were one of those people who doesn't like to be touched. I just wanted to tell you, it was so cool how you stood up to Dr. Hamill back there. He's a total ass hat. I took him last semester and got a B because he didn't like the margins on my final paper. I was just waiting for an excuse to drop him, then you showed up and just fucking  _ruined_ him. It was great."

Loki stared at her curiously.

She wasn't exhibiting any signs of fear, which would have been the appropriate response to facing an enemy of the human race. Instead, she was approaching him as if he were her companion, her _equal._ How unusual.

"Don't tell me you're the shy type, you just called out one of the university's top professors in the middle of a lecture! I'm Tabby and you're Loki, right? Isn't that the name of the Nordic god of mischief? That's so awesome. I wish my parents named me after some trouble-making goddess. I'm sort of a history nerd, though I'm guessing you are, too."

"I am not named after the god of mischief, I  _am_ the god you speak of. I am Loki of Asgard, adopted son of Odin. If you intend to address me in the future, it would serve you well to remember that."

Tabby rolled her eyes, clearly not regarding Loki's warning.

"So, you think you're the god of mischief, now do you? That's a pretty hefty title. Are you sure you live up to it?"

"How dare you question me, you insolent girl," Loki snarled.

Tabby just laughed, to Loki's displeasure.

"Now you're speaking like a true god. Well, Mr. Mischief, if you're not too busy, I know some people who are looking to get into some real trouble tonight, if you're interested in joining us."

Loki's eyebrows shot up at the offer.

"Trouble of what nature?" He questioned.

Tabby shrugged.

"Breaking stuff, pissing off the police, smoking something or the other, maybe going to some parties, who knows? So, are you in? I would stay and talk about it longer, but I'm already ten minutes late for a date."

"Perhaps."

"Alright, cool. Here, let me give you my number." Tabby said, reaching out to take Loki's hand, holding an uncapped marker in her other hand.

Loki snatched his hand away before she even made contact with him.

"You are much too forward."

She laughed.

"That's not a very mischievous attitude. Just let me write my number down for you. You know, unless you're scared to get into a little bit of trouble."

Loki glowered at the girl as he stuck his hand out towards her.

It would be so simple for him to hurt her. He could have her kneeling at his feet, begging for mercy, with just a few swift movements. He had both the mental and physical capabilities. It was certainly a pleasing mental image; having this unruly, attractive woman at his disposal.

The idea of the Avengers confronting him about it, on the other hand, was not such a pleasing one.

Tabby quickly scribbled a number on Loki's palm, oblivious to the mental argument he was having with himself.

"I'll catch you later, Loki."

His eyes narrowed as he watched her leave.

She still did not address him the way a prince should be addressed.

Letting out a heavy sigh, he turned on his heel, returning his focus to his original mission: speaking to Jane.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Jane looked up and gasped, noticing Loki standing in the corner of her office, staring at her intently.

 

"I thought Thor talked to you about sneaking up on people."

Loki sneered, sitting down in one of the chairs in front of her desk.

"My brother has spoken to me about many things. I choose to ignore the majority of those things."

"That's worked out well for you, hasn't it?"

Loki's eyes scanned Jane's face, enjoying the underlying fear in her eyes.

"I do not come to quarrel with you. I simply wish to ask you about the details of my banishment. I assume my brother has confided in you."

Jane nodded, watching Loki carefully.

She did not trust him one bit.

Clever girl.

"Above all, I would like to request a teaching position, instead of a student position. All of the educators in this facility possess knowledge that is inferior to my own. It is insulting to ask me to sit through their lectures as a lowly student."

Jane folded her arms across her chest.

"The whole point of you coming here was to teach you that you're not better than anyone else. Nothing is more humbling than being a graduate student. Do you know why?"

Loki's bright eyes flicked up to meet hers while his mouth remained tightly shut.

"Because you're going to think all of your professors are idiots, but you still have to play by their rules," Jane smiled slightly, "and Thor already told you, you're going to have to make straight A's for an entire year before you can return to Asgard. That means you're going to have to learn how to play by somebody else's rules for a while."

Loki frowned, calculating just how much time he would have to escape if he were to slaughter Jane Foster.

It did not matter; S.H.I.E.L.D. had Tony Stark and Bruce Banner at their disposal. The two men possessed intellectual capacities that rivaled even the greatest scholars on Asgard. They would be able to find him and the rest of the dysfunctional team would rush to punish him for his actions.

Besides that, if he slaughtered Thor's romantic interest, Loki would likely not be invited to ascend to the throne of Asgard.

"Then I must withdraw from Dr. Hamill's class."

Jane's eyebrows shot up.

"What did you do?"

Loki smirked at Jane's facial expression as her hand twitched towards her telephone.

"There is no need to call S.H.I.E.L.D., Jane. I simply fear I may have made a poor first impression on someone who I am supposed to subject myself to."

Jane stared at him questioningly before hearing an angry voice outside of her door.

"Right in front of the  _whole damn lecture hall!_ The little shit had the balls to stand at the podium and speak to the class about something he knew nothing about!"

Loki grinned impishly as Jane's eyes turned to him darkly.

"Stay right there." She growled, walking towards the door anxiously.

"Dr. Hamill, how are you today?"

Loki glanced around Jane's office, the grin remaining on his face as he heard Dr. Hamill's infuriated voice.

He turned around as Jane returned to her office a few moments later.

"Yeah, you're not going back to Asgard this year. There's no way you're going to avoid failing that man's class."

"We'll see about that, now won't we? I can be very convincing."

Jane rolled her eyes.

"Is there any other reason that you're here?"

"Not very sociable, are we, Jane? Very well, I will ask you one more question. What does this combination of numbers correspond to? A young woman wrote them on my hand. I cannot understand their purpose." Loki questioned, displaying the numbers written on his hand to Jane.

Jane stared at the numbers curiously before slapping a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh.

A dark look crossed Loki's face.

He did not like being laughed at.

"Who wrote this on your hand?"

"A young woman who seemed very impressed at my display of dominance in Dr. Hamill's lecture. Are they some kind of coordinates? Perhaps she was inviting me to a meeting of sorts."

Jane shook her head, still smiling, much to Loki's annoyance.

"That's her  _phone number._ You know, so you can call her, or text her. Did she say anything else before she gave it to you?"

Loki thought carefully about his conversation with the odd young woman.

She had invited him to partake in mischief, something he knew was best not to inform Jane of.

"She invited me to partake in an event she was attending with her friends."

Jane smiled, nodding her head.

"Right, okay, well, in this realm, when a woman is interested in a man, she gives him her number. He usually calls to let her know that he's interested, too. I can't imagine that you want to date this girl, do you?"

Loki snorted.

"I have more pressing matters than a young woman."

"That's what I thought. Don't worry about it, the ink will wash off. We should try to get you a cell phone soon, though. They're sort of a necessity here."

"Why?" Loki demanded, his eyes scanning Jane's face for answers.

Cell phones were not in Asgard. He had lived centuries without even thinking about the technology used on Earth. Jane Foster did not know what was and was not necessary to him.

"So you can call me if you have any more questions, so Thor can call you to check up on you,"

"You mean track me." Loki interrupted dryly, his piercing crystal eyes still searching Jane's face.

She faltered under his intense gaze.

"Okay, for argument's sake, let's say I won't give anyone in S.H.I.E.L.D. your phone number. Or at least, not to start with. Would you at least think about getting one, so I could call you if I needed to?"

"Perhaps."

"Well, that's a start. If I can teach Thor to ask for coffee nicely in a diner, I'm sure I can teach you how to use a cell phone." Jane said with an amused smile.

Loki glowered at her.

"I am not to be compared to my brother." He instructed in a venomous voice.

Jane's eyes widened slightly.

"I can see that this conversation is doomed to fail, regardless of your feeble attempts to hold my attention. Good day, Jane." Loki muttered, glancing at his brother's girlfriend momentarily before exiting her cramped office.

* * *

 

Loki's feet felt like lead as he trudged towards Dr. Hamill's lecture hall for his second day of the class.

The man would undoubtedly be incorrect about every historic event in the curriculum and seemed too arrogant to accept criticism from a more intelligent being.

This was a tragic flaw that seemed to be consistent among the residents of Earth.

"Hey, God of Mischief! You were supposed to call me last week!" He heard a familiar voice shout from behind him.

"Damn," he muttered to himself, not bothering to turn around.

"What the hell, dude? I thought that you were all about getting into trouble. Did you suddenly wimp out?" Tabby questioned, sounding winded as she caught up and matched Loki's stride.

Loki's eyes narrowed.

"Are you suggesting that I am a coward?"

"I'm not suggesting anything. I'm just saying if you really  _were_ all about mischief, you would have been there. Things got pretty crazy."

"I didn't hear about it on the news."

Tabby laughed, not sensing Loki's irritation.

"Okay, maybe it wasn't  _that_ large-scale. Just enough to keep our records clean, while still having a good old time."

Loki nodded his head. He could understand being inconspicuous about causing trouble.

He had a similar need, himself.

Maybe this insolent little girl would be a beneficial acquaintance for him after all.

"So are you going to give me a call this time?" She questioned, raising her dark eyebrows at him while planting her hands on her hips, as if she was scolding a small child.

Loki observed her stance in a combination of irritation and amusement.

She clearly did not understand his superiority to her. Instead, she was issuing him a challenge. She was attempting to control him. She was working to establish dominance in their hardly tolerable acquaintance.

Loki smirked.

Better men than this silly little girl had tried to control him.

Still, he desired this challenge.

After his failure in New York, his confidence had been shaken. S.H.I.E.L.D.  _did_ have the power to control him, primarily due to their green monster.

This girl, on the other hand, was horrible outmatched.

The prospect of this situation was deliciously tempting.

"Are you just going to keep staring at me, or are you going to promise to come out with us next time? After your showdown with Dr. Hamill, everyone is dying to meet you." Tabby said, eying Loki curiously.

"If I find the time in my schedule to join any trouble you and your friends concoct."

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head, to Loki's surprise.

"Where do you live?"

"Excuse me?"

"You live in that big ass house down West Avenue, don't you? My friend Brie said she saw you going home the other day. Yeah, you kind of struck me as the rich type. Well, I know where you live. I can just kidnap you tonight."

Loki frowned.

"You dare threaten a prince?"

"I would dare to do a whole lot worse to one prince in particular. Be ready by eight."

"Do you not understand that you are completely beneath me? What power have you to tell  _me_ when to make your acquaintance?"

Tabby laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm really something terrible. Anyway, I'll see you at eight. I'm excited to see what a little bit of good old fashioned bar time does for you." She said with a wink, skipping off to her next class.

Loki stared after her, unsure of how to behave.

This girl had not given him the opportunity to explain to her just why she was incorrect to address him the way that she had. Instead, he had been forced to stand idly by as she invited herself to his home, in order to bring him out to socialize with her friends.

Shaking his head, he continued to walk to Dr. Hamill's useless lecture.

Breaking down this little girl and ripping the power she believed she had from her shaking hands would be fun.

* * *

 

Later that evening, Loki was pacing his home when he suddenly stopped, smirking.

Tabby was at his doorstep, sneaking towards his open window.

"Perhaps you would prefer entering the front door." He suggested coolly, not bothering to turn around to see the dumbfounded expression on her face.

"How the hell did you even know I was there? No one ever notices me breaking into their places. It's kind of a gift."

"Very few are able to sneak up on me."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Loki finally turned to face Tabby, mildly surprised by the change in her attire.

Instead of simply wearing a t-shirt and shorts, as most of the lowly students seemed to walk around in, she was wearing a dress that was  _very_ low-cut; lower cut than any attire he had seen on a woman in Asgard. The dress was also much more form-fitting than those of Asgardian women.

Perhaps this was a trick she was trying to play.

After all, he was a man and she was a woman.

Historically, women had been using lust against men for centuries.

_The joke is on her,_ Loki thought in amusement as he smirked at her. He had never been romantically involved with a woman.

He had sat idly by while Thor engaged in amorous activities with women, instead attaining knowledge on magic.

Of course, women were much easier than education for Thor.

Conversely, women never seemed to have much time for Loki, even if he was the prince of Asgard. Academics, on the other hand, did not have the option of refusing a willing student.

"So, are you ready to go? Or are you just going to keep staring at me all night long? Not that I have a problem with it, but the guys  _are_ waiting in the car and a few of them can get pretty jealous." Tabby said with a devilish grin, her eyes flicking over Loki quickly before making contact with his bright eyes.

Loki's eyebrows furrowed.

"I was simply observing how grossly revealing your attire is. I assume that we will  _not_ be attending a formal occasion this evening."

Tabby's eyebrows elevated slightly.

"No, definitely not."

"What a pity. There's a certain pleasure one has ruining formal occasions."

Her eyes met his as her mouth twisted into an even wider grin.

"Maybe I'll take you to a wedding sometime. Meanwhile, we should get going. Is that what you're wearing?"

"Do you think it unacceptable?"

"No, I think it'll do just fine. It really makes your uh…your  _eyes_ look great." She responded, her green eyes sliding down his body towards his waistline before returning slowly to his eyes.

Loki met her gaze evenly, refusing to fall victim to this appealing young woman.

He followed her to the vehicle that would transport them to the bar of her choosing, nodding towards the three young men who were also piled in.

He was met with curious stares, as well as a cold glare from the driver.

"Guys, this is Loki, the 'god' I've been telling you about. Loki, this is Chad, Mike, and Wes."

Loki nodded towards each of the young men once more as the driver, Wes, started the car, quickly projecting them towards their destination.

* * *

 

Loki glanced around the room as the young men and Tabby guided him towards the bar, where many people seemed to be sitting, receiving drinks from a scantily clad woman behind the counter.

There were many young women dressed similarly to Tabby; perhaps dressing in provocative clothing was typical around these bars.

He sat down next to Tabby at the bar, still observing his surroundings.

"What's wrong? Never been to a bar before?" Chad joked, grinning at Loki easily.

Loki's eyes settled on Chad, who was still giving him a lopsided smile.

"No, I have not been in a similar setting before. In Asgard, I simply drink in the dining hall of my home."

Mike leaned over to Wes, muttering, "Where's Asgard?" in a low voice, sneaking a glance at Loki.

"I dunno, somewhere in Ohio, I think." Wes answered, shrugging as he received a bottle of beer from the bartender.

Loki smirked at the ignorance of the young men Tabby associated with.

Only the people of Earth would be so horrendously oblivious to the nine other realms.

"Wait, so you have an entire dining hall in your house? Dude, that's awesome!" Chad exclaimed eagerly, ignoring Wes and Mike, who were still speaking to each other in low voices.

"I told you, he's  _loaded._  I mean come on, couldn't you tell just by looking at him? He looks like one of those aristocrats you read about in the textbooks!" Tabby reminded Chad with a giggle, accepting an odd looking drink from the bar tender. The bartender then looked at Loki curiously.

Loki held up his hand, indicating that he was uninterested in the beverages that his acquaintances were consuming.

Each of them looked and smelled revolting.

"Do not degrade me to such low levels. I would never be one of the lowly 'lords' of history. No, I am the prince that they serve." Loki reminded her irritably.

Tabby seemed like a fairly clever girl, and yet, she could not grasp the simple fact of his social status.

She rolled her eyes at him, that frustrating gesture.

" _Right,_ you're royalty. Anyway, since you're so rich, I think the drinks should be on you tonight." She informed him with a wide smile, leaning closer to him as the rest of the guys laughed in agreement.

Loki raised his eyebrows.

"Money is immaterial to me. If you wish for me to sponsor your drinking for the evening, I should gladly do so."

All four graduate students stared at Loki with wide eyes, causing him to grin.

Yes, they were right in the palm of his hand. He was offering them something that they clearly found appealing, at no apparent cost. He was causing them to develop a dependency on him. Once they were dependent, they would undoubtedly become much simpler to control.

"Hell yeah! Tab, good call with this guy. I like him already!" Mike exclaimed, high-fiving Tabby.

Chad seemed to be equally pleased at Loki's offer, as he was already leaning over the counter and speaking to the bartender about more drinks he could sample.

Wes, on the other hand, seemed displeased by Loki's actions, judging from the coldness of his stare and the clenching of his jaw.

Loki immediately understood; Wes was the former alpha male of the group. Both Chad and Mike looked to Wes upon meeting Loki, which Loki presumed to mean they valued his judgment more than their own.

Offering them free alcohol, however, had evidently been an unexpected challenge against Wes.

Now, Chad and Mike turned their backs to Wes, instead fixing their attention on Loki, waiting for him to share knowledge that would aid them as loyal followers. Even Tabby was focused on him, which did not seem to escape Wes' attention.

"Hey, I love this song! Come dance with me!" Tabby instructed, grabbing Loki's arm and tugging him towards the middle of the bar, where a large group of similarly dressed women were dancing very provocatively.

Loki shook his head immediately.

"That activity is very much below me."

"Are you telling me that you don't dance?"

"Nothing gets by you, does it?" He responded with a slight smirk.

Tabby laughed, tugging at Loki's arm again.

"C'mon, what's the worst that could happen?"

Loki raised his eyebrows at the challenge.

"You could attract my attention to you more than you already have. That, silly girl, would put you in very real danger, I assure you." He replied, his eyes fixed on hers.

Her mouth twisted into an impish grin.

"What kind of danger?"

"I am not playing games with you."

Tabby's grin only widened.

"Whatever you say, buddy. I'm sure I'll find out eventually. Chad, come on, you're dancing with me!"

Chad looked up from the plate of fries he had been devouring, glancing between Loki and Tabby in slight confusion.

His eyes settled on Tabby, who was staring back at him impatiently.

"Any day now." She nagged, raising her eyebrows.

Chad silently obeyed, allowing Mike to swipe the plate of fries from him as he followed Tabby to the group of people doing what this realm considered 'dancing'.

Loki watched curiously.

It seemed that Tabby had control over the men in the group; it was unclear to Loki whether or not she had originally used brute force to get them to submit to her rule, but whatever she had done, it seemed that she had done it very well.

It then dawned on him that by asking him to join the established group of friends, Tabby likely intended to force him to submit, like the other young men in the group. She meant to make him obey commands as obediently and silently as Chad had.

He smirked at her.

Foolish girl.

She caught him staring at her and smiled back, tossing in a wink for good measure.

Loki rolled his eyes then turned to Wes, feeling his opponent's eyes boring into the back of his head.

"What are you doing with Tabby?" Wes instantly demanded, staring Loki down.

Loki laughed at Wes' attempt at intimidation.

"You're going to have to give me a more specific question."

"Are you trying to sleep with her? I know that she's made some pretty shitty decisions, but I doubt she would stoop down to  _you._  Buying all of the alcohol in the world wouldn't change that."

"Is this love fueling your aggression?" Loki taunted with a smirk.

Fools in love were always the weakest.

Thor was the sheer proof of that.

Wes glowered back at Loki.

"Just steer clear of her, let's leave it at that."

"Oh, but this is  _fun!_ Now, let's say that I don't steer clear of Tabby. Maybe I  _like_ her. She does have a certain charm about her when she's dressed this way."

Wes' stance stiffened.

"Are you saying that you're planning on hooking up with her?"

Loki shrugged.

"Maybe I already have."

"You're lying."

"Your facial expressions betray you. You're currently in denial about the nature of your relationship with Tabby."

Wes got closer to Loki, attempting to intimidate him physically.

Loki simply smirked.

"Listen, you little shit, you can't just come in here and pretend you're more special than everyone else here. You might have money, but Tabby doesn't work like that."

"I'm glad you seem to think so."

"You don't?"

Loki shrugged.

"Nothing has forced me to think otherwise."

"Oh, I'll make you think otherwise." Wes growled, his muscles tensing.

"Whoa, let's bring the testosterone levels down a notch, okay guys? Loki, come with me. Let me explain to you just how this group works. You guys go ahead to the party without us. I'll call a taxi and meet you there." Tabby interrupted, hooking Loki's arm in hers as she gave him a stern look.

Loki smirked at Wes once more before allowing the tipsy young woman to guide him outside of the bar.

"Would you like to call a cab?" He questioned in amusement.

He was the god of mischief. He could detect a lie with the greatest of ease.

Tabby had been lying about her intentions to rejoin her friends at the party they had been planning on attending. She had been lying about her intentions to lecture Loki as well. It seemed that she had something else in mind. Something Loki was very interested in learning about.

"I might as well, we're going to have to get to a bedroom somehow," She replied, grinning up at Loki devilishly.

She quickly called the cab, slurring through the directions and instructions with the assistance of a curious Loki.

"So tell me, Loki, have you ever hooked up with a woman before?" Tabby asked, her bright eyes surveying him as he hesitated.

"I have had more pressing matters than  _women_ in my life."

"Well then, you're just going to have to listen to me for instructions, now aren't you? You might be a newbie, but you're still the 'god of mischief', so I expect you to be good."

Loki snickered.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm lacking in the 'good' department."

"In this case, being bad means you're good."

Loki raised his eyebrows, a grin spreading across his face.

He leaned closer to her, his lips just a few inches from her ear.

"Then I promise you, little girl, I will be very,  _very_  good." He assured her in a low voice, a devious smirk still plastered to his face.

For once in his life, Loki was caught-off guard as Tabby jumped up on her toes, planting her lips on his firmly, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly.

Just moments later, the cab she called pulled up in front of the bar, blaring its horn at the pair.

Loki nodded towards the cab as Tabby separated herself from him, her eyes searching his face eagerly.

"You're coming, right?" She questioned as she took a cautious step towards the cab.

"You are accompanying me to my home." Loki responded.

Tabby grinned at his response, sliding into the cab eagerly and patting the seat next to her, indicating that she wished for Loki to join her.

He nodded, turning to face the group of young men that had been loitering outside of the bar for a few seconds.

Wes looked enraged while Mike and Chad simply looked surprised.

"I think I've figured out just how Tabby works." Loki said, winking at Wes swiftly before joining the young woman in the cab, both of them wearing satisfied smirks.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Loki stared down at the sleeping young woman clinging to his chest.

Perhaps Thor had been on to something when he opted for women over education. Women appeared to be much easier to gain control of; Tabby wore her desires on her sleeve, for all to take advantage of. It had certainly benefitted Loki this evening.

She had relinquished power so easily, so willingly.

Yes, women were certainly meant to be ruled over.

She gave a little start followed by a whimper, interrupting Loki's train of thought.

"Shh," he muttered, staring down at her curiously as she tightened her grip around him, burying her face in his chest to hide from an invisible monster.

"Don't let them get me," she pleaded softly, her voice muffled against his skin.

Loki glanced around the room, working to comprehend the basis of Tabby's fears. There was no one in the room with them, nor was there anyone in the perimeter that served as a threat. There had been no sound or movement to cause alarm, rendering Tabby's terror irrational.

"There is no one here. Now go back to sleep silly girl, you're upsetting yourself." He instructed her calmly.

He could feel her body grow limp as she followed his order wordlessly, drifting off into a peaceful sleep once again.

Loki could feel his grin creeping across his face as he shut his own eyes.

He had found someone to reign over while S.H.I.E.L.D. kept their eyes on him. He would learn tactics from this silly little girl, until he could ascend the throne of Asgard.

If the past served as any indication, he would not mind investing more of his time in Tabby.

He smiled as he sank into a light sleep, thinking about the women who would have to kneel before him when he became the king of Asgard.

Yes, Tabby Baker was just the beginning.

* * *

 

Loki awoke with a start, tightening his arm around Tabby instinctively.

He met her gaze as she looked back at him in surprise; her leg was halfway out of the bed and her arm was reaching for her bra, which had been tossed near the side table.

Loki's eyes narrowed as he processed the information laid out in front of him.

Tabby had been attempting to get out of bed while he was asleep.

He had heard about kings being slaughtered in their sleep by those they trusted the most. While Loki did not trust Tabby farther than he could throw her, he  _had_ given her a greater opportunity by allowing her to stay in his home for the evening, a mistake that was made on his own part.

"Hey, you're not much of a morning person, are you?" She questioned with a small smile, throwing a quick glance back to where her clothes were laying.

Loki raised an eyebrow at her.

"What were you planning on doing while I was asleep?" He asked sternly.

Tabby shrugged, grinning sheepishly.

"Oh, uh, I was thinking about going back to my house. My stomach has been growling for like, an hour. Besides, I didn't want things to be awkward for you. You said you've never really been with a woman before. Though I'm starting to think you were lying about that."

Loki ignored her attempts at charming him, continuing to stare at her intently.

"I also require sustenance. Get dressed. We will go out for breakfast."

Tabby blinked, the smile retreating from her face.

"Oh, no, that's not necessary, I have groceries back in my apartment, I don't really have the right kind of clothes to go out to breakfast and you know, I'm trying to save money and stuff," she rambled quickly, throwing on her clothes as Loki strode across the room, selecting the clothes he would be wearing for the day.

He looked back at her curiously as she slipped back into her revealing dress.

"Look," she sighed, running her hand through her hair before approaching Loki, "last night was great, I'm just not looking for a serious relationship. I didn't really think that you were either. Anyway, I'll see you later, I really should get going. Wes wants to see a movie in a few hours, so I need to get ready."

Loki's eyes darkened as he stared back at Tabby.

She was no longer the obedient human that had been in his bed just hours before. Now she was back to her insolent self, working to confuse and control him, as so many women had done to Thor in his youth. By mentioning plans that she had made with Wes, she was reminding Loki that she was not accepting him as a leader yet.

This rebellious little girl was giving him a run for his money.

"No."

"No?" Tabby echoed in confusion.

"Still as sharp as a tack, I see. I will not accept you disregarding me in such a manner."

"I know that I should have told you this first, but I just thought we were on the same page. Can you honestly tell me that you've been in the market for a girlfriend? I can't really imagine you showing up at some girl's doorstep with flowers and chocolate."

"Flowers and chocolate? Are those two somehow related for romantic purposes? No matter, you will listen to me without trying to change the subject again. I do not wish to share things. Instead, I would like to have you as my own. Given your actions last night, I do not think you'll find those conditions altogether unreasonable."

Tabby stuck her hands on her hips, scowling at Loki.

He sighed, looking up at the ceiling in frustration.

She was going to lecture him again.

"Don't you dare use last night against me! I was so drunk you should have just sent my ass home!"

Loki snorted.

"You seemed perfectly aware of your actions and surroundings."

"Whatever, maybe I'm just a great drunk.  _Anyway,_ I don't care what kind of weird jealousy thing you think you have going on right now, but I'm not some toy that you don't want to share with the other kids on the playground. I met you like, last week. Calm down."

"You may say whatever you wish on the subject matter. I have made my own feelings very clear and intend to see my expectations through. You can resist all you would like, though I cannot recommend that you do so." Loki responded coolly, his eyes sparkling in amusement as Tabby stomped towards the front door, carrying her shoes as she did so.

"Go to hell." She spat, throwing open the door.

Loki laughed at her as the door slammed shut.

He had been wrong the night before. Perhaps women were made to be ruled, but Tabby in particular was meant to break down any ruler that tried to control her. She seemed to thrive off of disobeying and arguing.

How strange.

How deliciously challenging.

She had certainly made a mistake by arguing with him so adamantly. Now she was not simply some woman he could control for his own amusement until he was sitting on a throne. Now she was a genuine challenge, as New York had been, without the interference of any of the exceptional residents on Earth.

It was just him against Tabby, and she would be the one to bow down at his feet.

* * *

 

Jane Foster stared across the kitchen table at the smirking Loki, wondering what in the world could have been running through his mind.

She had showed up at his house just a half hour after Tabby had stormed off, equipped with a catalog of different cell phones that he could purchase, along with the different plans he could use for those phones. She had also brought along what she called "IHOP," but he wasn't entirely sure that the spongy round stacks in front of him were meant to be consumed.

"Look, this is the iPhone. Everyone has the iPhone, it's great. I have one and I can't imagine going on without it." She explained, holding her phone up to Loki's unamused face.

He frowned, taking a moment to survey the piece of technology in her hands.

"If everyone has one then I could not want one. I remind you, I am more advanced and far less likely to succumb to your social trends. While I am sure that my brother is enjoying it, I could not force myself to do so."

Jane rolled her eyes, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her eyes.

"Then what are you going to do about a phone?"

Loki smirked.

"I'm not going to do anything." He responded in amusement, leaning back in his chair as his bright eyes followed Jane's frustrated movements.

"Well, I guess I can just tell Director Fury that I tried. It's probably for the best, anyway. After the whole New York City thing, I don't really know if letting you contact other people is the best idea. Um, moving on, how are your classes going?"

Loki raised his eyebrows at her.

"I am surrounded by insufferably unintelligent humans who call themselves educators."

Jane laughed, her golden eyes flicking up to meet Loki's.

"Yeah, you know, they're not so crazy about you either. I don't think you're going to be going home for a while. You might not even have any professors willing to take you on next semester." She joked, surprised at how comfortable she was feeling around Thor's older brother.

Loki had never made a secret of his dislike of her; he had called her stupid on multiple occasions and had told Thor how stupid he was for engaging in a romantic relationship with a human at every chance that presented itself.

Loki shrugged.

"I would consider it very good judgment for a professor at this school to accept that they are unequipped to meet my academic needs."

"I wouldn't get too excited. Thor won't change his mind. You still have to go an entire year making straight A's before you can go back to Asgard. That means you're going to have to find enough professors to last you two full semesters, without doing anything to tempt them to fail you."

"Such little faith you have in me. You are forgetting. I can be  _very_ persuasive."

Jane's eyes widened slightly at the silky tone in Loki's voice.

Before she could shake off her reaction the strange sound, she heard a door slamming from behind her, causing her to jump.

Loki, on the other hand, looked completely amused.

"Loki, God damn it! Where are you? You have about five minutes to take your pants off and don't you  _dare_ overthink this!" Tabby's voice rang through the house.

Jane's eyes were the size of dinner plates as Loki stood up, a smirk playing on his lips.

Tabby stomped into the kitchen, where Jane and Loki were sitting, immediately looking at Jane with a curious stare, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

"Jane, this is Tabby Baker. Tabby, this is Jane Foster, my sister-in-law for all intents and purposes." Loki stated, his eyes twinkling mischievously as the two women stared at each other curiously.

"Um…hi…I'm Jane. It's nice to meet you, Tabby. Are you a student at Princeton?" Jane stammered, her face progressively reddening as Tabby glowered at a smirking Loki.

"Uh…yeah, I'm a grad student, studying history. Um, what's your major?" Tabby responded.

"Jane is a professor of astrophysics." Loki supplied.

Tabby closed her eyes, hanging her head.

"I am making such an ass out of myself. It was really nice to meet you Jane, but would you mind if I just stole Loki for an hour or two? He sort of owes me an apology." She said, approaching Loki's side.

He met her bright eyes, nodding towards her slightly before peering at Jane, who looked absolutely mortified.

"You know, I wouldn't mind at all. I actually have a staff meeting I need to get to. Um, I'll talk to you later, Loki." Jane replied, inching towards the front door, her face turning redder by the minute.

Loki watched her leave in amusement before turning to look at Tabby.

"I sincerely hope that you're not expecting an apology." He drawled in amusement, staring down at Tabby curiously.

Tabby rolled her eyes, stomping towards Loki's bedroom.

"Just get your ass in here and take off your pants."

"Would it be an inappropriate time to ask how your date went?" He called after her, unbuckling his pants as he sauntered towards his bedroom.

* * *

 

Tabby scowled up at Loki as he smirked to himself.

"You're an ass."

"Eloquent as always," he responded, his bright eyes flicking down to meet hers.

"You know, you should be a lot nicer to me. Most guys are."

"Correct me if I'm mistaken, but I believe you are in  _my_ bed, as opposed to any other man's."

Tabby glowered back.

"You've never even taken me on a  _date._ "

"Would you like me to court you?" Loki questioned, raising his eyebrows curiously.

Courtship was something he had never given much thought to, simply because it seemed so very  _easy._ A male sought after a woman until he felt confident that proposing to her would be the proper next step to their relationship.

He had no need to take a wife, especially not until he was king of Asgard.

"Who the hell says 'court' anymore? No, I just want you to…I don't know…treat me like the other guys treat me. Listen to me when I speak, ask how high when I say jump, just be a regular guy!" She responded angrily.

Loki's eyebrows jumped up even higher on his forehead.

"You expect me to submit to you so entirely?"

"Well, yeah. That's kind of how it works."

"Oh, you silly girl, that is the very last thing I will ever do. No, you will be the one to submit yourself to me, I assure you."

Tabby bit her lip, furrowing her eyebrows.

"You think that I'm going to fall in love with  _you_? No way, I'm never the lovesick idiot in relationships."

"The logic would suggest that if one of us was going to be said 'idiot', it would be you."

"Oh, honey, you are  _so_ out of your league. I'm going to have you wrapped around my finger by the end of the year and there's nothing you can do about it." Tabby purred, her green eyes studying Loki's amused facial expression.

"You underestimate me."

"You're overestimating yourself."

They smirked at each other for a moment before Tabby glanced at the clock on Loki's night table and smacked Loki's arm, causing him to jump.

"Hey, the Harry Potter marathon is on right now."

Loki raised his eyebrows at her.

"You know, Harry Potter? Like, the movies?" She clarified, looking surprised at Loki's mystified facial expression.

"We do not watch movies in Asgard. If we want to experience a glorious story, we live it ourselves."

Tabby rolled her eyes.

"Are you just being an ass, or have you seriously never seen Harry Potter before? It's like my favorite thing in the world!"

"No, I have not seen the movie you're referring to. Nor would I particularly care to watch it, while we're on the subject."

"Tough shit, there's a TV in your room and you're making me stay here for the night, we're watching it. Where's your remote?"

"I will not have you instruct me so harshly in my own home."

Tabby smirked up at him in amusement.

"Yes you will, because I could still leave. I could walk out that door right now and you'd be stuck sitting here all alone for the rest of the night. I'm sure I could find another guy who would be happy to watch Harry Potter with me."

Loki's eyes narrowed.

As the God of Mischief, he could detect a lie with the greatest of ease. This unfortunately was not a lie. Tabby was making a very real threat. Judging from her physical appearance and the way men behaved in her presence, Loki knew that she would not have a difficult time finding a male suitor to watch a movie with her.

"Perhaps I wouldn't be alone for the rest of the evening. I might invite over other women that I have met throughout the semester, who would be perfectly content missing your movie." He countered coolly.

Tabby laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, you go right ahead. It's really their loss. Nothing is worth missing Harry Potter, not even you."

"You're joking."

"I don't joke about Harry Potter."

Loki glowered at her, frustrated by the situation.

Tabby was more difficult to control than he had predicted. She was unwilling to compromise and even worse, she threatened to get her way. She did not give way to Loki's wishes, as so many on Asgard often did, nor did she seem to care about his interests, as Jane Foster cared about Thor's.

That did not hinder his interest in her, though. On the contrary, it heightened his desire to force her into submission, until she followed him around, as desperately in love with him as Jane Foster seemed to be with Thor.

The victory would just be that much sweeter.

"So, what's it going to be? Are you going to turn that TV on to Harry Potter, or am I leaving? It's your call." She questioned, her eyes flicking towards the pile of clothes lying by the door before raising her eyebrows at Loki.

"I will not turn on that television." Loki responded evenly.

"Is that so?"

"Is your hearing impaired?"

"No, but your brain must be. You'd really let me go call some other guy because you have some weird thing against Harry Potter?"

Loki smirked.

"You are not irreplaceable."

"The hell I'm not. Name one girl like me, I dare you."

"Every Midgardian woman I've ever met. You are no more than a silly little girl in my bed. I would not turn that television on for any woman. I would only turn it on if I desired to watch something myself."

Tabby rolled her eyes.

"Are you really sticking to the whole 'I'm never going to love you' mantra? Like, it's that's cool if you believe it, but this is kind of overkill. I just want to watch a movie. I'm not asking to meet your parents."

"I don't see how the two are related."

"One involves a more committed relationship than the other. Whether you like it or not, I'm staying here and I will be watching Harry Potter. We can either do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way. You've already made one stupid decision today. Do you want to make another?"

Loki's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"How dare you speak to me this way?"

"Yeah, yeah, it's what you get when you treat me like I'm just another replaceable girl to you. Now I'm going to make you fall in love with me. You just better hope that I decide to stick around after I do." Tabby responded with a playful grin, winking at Loki before reaching over his chest to snatch the remote off of his other night table.

Loki chuckled, not stopping Tabby as she flipped through the channels, searching for her ridiculous movie.

"I thought we already went over this, silly girl. I will not be falling in love with you during my stay on Midgard."

"That's what you think."

"You intend to change my mind?"

"I do."

Loki snorted.

"Silly girl."

"We'll see who has the last laugh."

Loki rolled his eyes as Tabby, who had settled down to watch the movie she had been whining about so adamantly.

At least he had given her a fair warning.

 

 


End file.
